Moran worked as a banker before receiving his Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1982.[5] He practiced law at Stinson, Mag & Fizzell in Kansas City, and later joined Jeter & Larson Law Firm in Hays, where he practiced law for fifteen years.[5] In addition to his law practice, he served as the state special assistant attorney general (1982–85) and deputy county attorney of Rooks County (1987–95).[3] He also served as an adjunct professor of political science at Fort Hays State University.[4]

Kansas Senate

Moran served for eight years (1989–1997) in the Kansas Senate. He served two years as the Vice President and his last two years as majority leader.[7]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Moran was elected to Congress in 1996 and reelected five times, never facing serious opposition in the conservative 1st district. In 2006, his opponent for the 2006 midterm election was John Doll, against whom he received almost 79 percent of the vote—one of the highest totals for a Republican congressional incumbent in that election.[8]

Tenure

During his time in the House of Representatives, Jerry Moran conducted an annual town hall meeting in each of the 69 counties in Kansas' "Big First" Congressional District. He continues the tradition in the U.S. Senate for all 105 counties.[9]

As a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, then-Congressman Moran worked with colleagues to craft legislation to aid Kansas farms and ranches. Moran was also an active member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, where he served as chairman of the Subcommittee on Health.[10]

Slate's David Weigel pointed out that, despite his insistence that earmarks are a way that get members of Congress to vote for spending "that we can't afford," Moran requested $19.4 million in earmarks in the 2010 budget.[11]

Political positions

Moran's voting record is largely conservative. He has a lifetime rating of 92 from the American Conservative Union. However, he has a considerable independent streak. The Southwest Daily Times once quoted him as saying, "I will always put Kansans ahead of the pressures in Washington" – a quote he posted on his House Web site.[16]

Agriculture

Moran and Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, recently introduced legislation, S. 989, the Flint Hills Preservation Act, to protect the ability of landowners in the Flint Hills to use prescribed fire as a tool to preserve the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Moran also joined U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-La.) in introducing the 3-D Act: The Domestic Jobs, Domestic Energy, and Deficit Reduction Act of 2011.

Health care

Moran opposed the Medicare reform package of 2003, unlike most congressmen from rural districts. He also opposed President Obama's health care reform bill in 2010. In May 2011, Moran sponsored S. 1058, the Pharmacy Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2011, legislation intended to increase choice and cost savings for patients in Kansas and across the country. He believes reducing the costs of medical services, equipment, insurance, and prescription drugs are necessary to ensure adequate health care.[17] In the House, he served as Co-Chairman of the House Rural Health Care Coalition and co-founder of the Congressional Community Pharmacy Coalition.[18]

National security and military

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran with Kansans serving in Afghanistan in April 2011.

In the early 2000s, Moran opposed a timetable for military withdrawal from Iraq.

Since entering Congress, Moran has traveled to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan to visit deployed American forces and meet with foreign leaders.[20] His most recent trip to the region was in the spring of 2011 to Kabul, Afghanistan.[21]

Moran worked to bring the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) to Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Once constructed, NBAF will conduct animal disease research intended to secure America's food supply and protect citizens and animals from the threat of foreign animal disease.

Education

Moran supports accountability metrics for public schools, but believes federal initiatives need to provide flexibility to states. In 2001, Moran voted against passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) because he felt it did not afford sufficient flexibility to schools.[22]

Gun rights

Moran defends the right to bear arms. He rejects the idea of expanding background restrictions on most gun purchases. In April 2013 he also voted against banning high-capacity magazines, banning most semi-automatic rifles, and outlawing loopholes in which one person purchases a gun for another person. The National Rifle Association, a lobbying organization for gun manufacturers and owners, rated his voting record “A” in its scorecard.[citation needed]

Environment

As of 2009, Moran had a lifetime score of 9% from the League of Conservation Voters.[23] He also opposes "cap and trade" legislation intended to reduce climate change because of its potential to eliminate thousands of jobs.[24]

Entrepreneurship and startups

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran talking with entrepreneurs about their startup competing at the 2013 South by Southwest Accelerator competition.

Moran is one of Congress' most active supporters of entrepreneurs and startup companies.[25] In 2014, Consumer Electronics Association President and CEO Gary Shapiro dubbed Moran, "Mr. Innovation" and described him as "one of the biggest tech entrepreneurship leaders in the U.S. Senate."[26] Moran is the lead sponsor of Startup Act 3.0 legislation which includes several provisions that would reform the American visa system for high-skilled, American educated, and entrepreneurial immigrants. Moran also sponsored the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, also known as the JOBS Act, legislation to expand crowdfunding options for startups. Since the bill's 2012 passage, he has criticized the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's JOBS Act rulemaking as drawn out and potentially counter productive to the legislation's intent.[27] Moran is an advocate of increased engagement between Washington and the Startup community and has spoken on the issue at events like South by Southwest (SXSW) and the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).[28][29][30]

Internet freedom

Moran was one of the first U.S. Senators to oppose the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).[31] On November 17, 2011, Moran, along with Senators Ron Wyden, Maria Cantwell and Rand Paul, sent a letter to Senate Leadership indicating they would place a Senate hold on PIPA, citing the threats PIPA (and SOPA) posed to liberty and innovation.[32][33] Moran participated in the January 2012 online protests against SOPA and PIPA, blacking out his Facebook photo.[citation needed] In a speech on the Senate floor shortly after the delay of SOPA and PIPA, Moran said, "Last week's decision to delay consideration of PIPA was an important moment for many innovators and entrepreneurs across America...It is important also not just to entrepreneurs, though, but to people who are concerned about freedom and about the opportunity to use the Internet to communicate, the opportunity for free speech."[34]

Moran volunteers his time with several community organizations. He is a former trustee of the Eisenhower Foundation, serves on the Board of Trustees of the Fort Hays State University Endowment Association, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Coronado Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He was also the 2008 Honorary Chair of the Law Enforcement Torch Run of the Kansas Special Olympics. Moran and his wife, Robba, have two daughters, Kelsey and Alex. Kelsey graduated from Kansas State University in 2010 and from Georgetown University Law Center in 2015. She is now an attorney at Hogan Lovells.[41] Alex graduated in 2012 from Kansas State University and graduated from the KSU College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015.